Table leg mounting bracket with locking structure



Sept. 27, 1955 B, ADLER 2,719,068

TABLE LEC MOUNTING BRACKET WITH LOCKING STRUCTURE 2 36 7 JNVENTOR.

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mfd/JWL ATTaRA/E/ Sept- 27, 1955 J. B. ADLER 2,719,068

TABLE LEG MOUNTING BRACKET WITH LOCKING STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 26, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. dof/A a. ,4mm

J Arran/Vex UnitedStates vPatent O TABLE LEG MOUNTING BRACKET WITH LOCKING STRUCTURE John B. Adler, Grosse Ile, Mich., assignor to Shwayder Brothers, Inc., Denver, Colo., a 4corporation of Colorado Application January 26, 1954, Serial No. 406,281

6 Claims. (ci. 311-99) This invention relates yto card tables, and more particularly, to a folding leg locking device for such card tables.

It is ythe object of the present invention to provide a table leg mounting bracket with locking structure, which is adapted `to snugly and removably receive the upper end of the table 'leg and which is Yadapted to permit folding of said leg into parallel engagement with the table top.

It is the further object of the present invention to provide a novel leg locking device, `which is resiliently maintained in either open or closed position.

These and other objects will be seen from the following specification and claims, in conjunction with the appended drawing, in which:

Fig. l isa fragmentary plan view of a portion of the cardv table frame to which the present leg locking device is applied.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1 and fragmentan'ly illustrating the mounting of the table top upon the frame.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view illustrating the relative positioning of the leg and locking device when the leg is collapsed.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the tapered socket of the locking device.

Fig. S is a side elevational view of the tapered plug cooperable therewith;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view of the upper portion of a card table leg adapted for mounting upon the plug of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is similar to Fig. 2, but with the leg released to permit folding; and

Fig. 8 is similar to Fig. 3, but sectioned for further illustration.

It will be understood that the above drawing illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention, and that other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the claims hereafter set forth.

Referring to the drawing, the present invention relates specifically to an automatic leg locking device for a card table which includes a hollow substantially rigid tubular frame 11, as fragmentarily shown in Figs. l and 2, and which includes an inner upright wall 12, and upon which frame is mounted the flat top 13. Angle elements 14 are riveted at 15 to the undersurface of top 13, and the depending portions of said angle elements bear against frame wall 12 and are secured thereto by the sheet metal screws 16, which project through corresponding longitudinally spaced openings Within the wall portion 12 throughout the interior periphery of said frame, by which the table top is effectively secured thereto.

Mounted in upright position at the central portion of each of the corners of frame 11, is a socket 17 of cylindrical shape and having upon its interior an upwardly converging tapered bore 18. Said sockets are welded as at 10 to the interior of each of the frame corners. Transversely arranged opposed slots 19 extend through lower portions of socket 17, and there is a transverse slot 20 indicated in Fig. 3.

2,719,068 yPatented Sept. 27, 1955 ICC formed in the Wall of said socket on one side in -communication with the said bore.

'There is provided a tapered plug, as shown in Fig. 5, adapted to be projected up into bore 18 and which includes tapered upper end 21 and which has a longitudinal bore 22 throughout said plug. Y Said plug includes intermediate notches 23, which are bounded at their lower ends by the tapered shoulder 24, thereby defining an intermediate plug portion of reduced Width, which isy cooperatively received by slot 20 when the leg 28 Fig. 2 is projected downwardly against spring 32 and is folded into substantial parallel relation with table top '13, as A third longitudinal notch "35 is formed in the outer wall of plug 21-24 to facilitate folding of .the leg 28 and plug to the position shown in Fig. 3, said notch being rintermediate the notches 23 and adapted to receive wall portions 9 at the top of slot 20.

Shoulder 24 forms a continuation of tapered portion 21 of said plug, and as shown in Fig. 2, is adapted to cooperatively and retainingly rest as does tapered portion 21, within socket 17 for maintaining the table leg 28 in the upright position shown in Fig. 2.

Shoulder 24 terminates therebelow in a shoulder 25 of reduced diameter, which itself terminates in a depending cylindrical portion 26 ladapted to be cooperatively received and secured within the upper end of tubular leg 28, as -by the weld 29 Fig. 2, Ashoulder 25 acting as a positive stop in assembling said leg upon the tapered plus. t

Transverse slots 30 are formed through the upper end of tubular leg 28 and are adapted to supportably receive the rivet or pin 31, which -is connected at 34 to the lower end of coiled spring 32.

The vupper end of `said spring is securedl `as at 33 to `the rivet 36 or pin, which extends through the transverse slots 19 of socket 17. Transverse elongated slots 27 are formed in opposed relation through the wall of the tapered plug and are adapted to cooperatively and slidably receive pin 36, whereby said plug and the leg 28 secured thereto may be manually moved downwardly against the action of spring 32, in order to permit a degree pivotal motion of said plug to the position shown in Fig. 3 with the reduced central portion 23 of vsaid plug received within socket slot 20.

Here the spring 32 is under tension and urges the upper edge 35 of shoulder 24 into operative engagement with the exterior side wall of socket 17 and maintains the collapsed leg 28 in a horizontal position within frame 11 and parallel to tabletop 13.

Having described my invention, reference should now be had to the claims which follow for determining the scope thereof.

I claim:

1. A leg locking device for a table having a frame comprising an upright socket secured to said frame at each of its-interior corners, each socket having an upwardly converging tapered bore and a communicating transverse slot in the wall thereof, a tubular leg, a transverse pin extending through said socket, a hollow tapered plug secured to the upper end of said leg retainingly nested within said socket, said plug having an elongated slot to slidably receive said pin, a transverse pin extending through the upper end of said leg, and a coiled spring loosely positioned within said plug and with its opposite ends respectively secured in tension to said pins, said plug having opposed exterior slotted portions retainingly positionable through said socket slot upon rotation of said leg and plug into the plane of said frame.

2. A leg locking device for a table having a frame comprising an upright socket secured to said frame at each of its interior corners, each socket having an upwardly converging tapered bore and a communicating transverse aperture in the wall thereof, a tubular leg, a

hollow tapered plug secured to the upper end of said leg retainingly nested within said socket, a coiled spring within said plug secured at its upper end to said socket and at its lower end to said leg, a pin extending transversely through said socket and plug and secured to said socket, to which pin the upper end of said spring is secured, and a pin extending transversely through the upper end of said leg and secured thereto, to which the other end of said spring is secured.

3. A leg locking device for a table having a frame comprising an upright socket secured to said frame at each of its interior corners, each socket having an upwardly converging tapered bore and a communicating transverse aperture in the Wall thereof, a tubular leg, a hollow tapered plug secured to the upper end of said leg retainingly nested within said socket, a coiled spring within said plug secured at its upper end to said socket and at its lower end to said leg, said tapered plug having opposed slotted portions whereby upon downward disengagement of said plug from said socket, said slotted portions are cooperatively received within said socket aperture as said leg is pivoted into the plane of said frame.

4. A leg locking device for a table having a frame comprising an upright socket secured to said frame at each of its interior corners, each socket having an upwardly converging tapered bore and a communicating transverse aperture in the wall thereof, a tubular leg, a hollow tapered plug secured to the upper end of said leg retainingly nested within said socket, a coiled spring within said plug secured at its upper end to said socket and at its lower end to said leg, a pin extending transversely through said socket and plug and secured to said socket, to which pin the upper end of said spring is secured, and means securing the lower end of said spring to said leg, said tapered plug having opposed exterior slotted portions whereby upon downward disengagement of said plug from said socket, said slotted portions are cooperatively received within said socket aperture as said leg is pivoted into the plane of said frame, said plug having an elongated transverse slot to slidably engage said pin.

5. A leg locking device for a table having a frame comprising an upright socket secured to said frame at each of its interior corners, each socket having an upwardly converging tapered bore and a communicating transverse aperture in the wall thereof, a tubular leg, a hollow tapered plug secured to the upper end of said leg retainingly nested within said socket, a coiled spring within said plug secured at its upper end to said socket and at its lower end to said leg, said plug having a cylindrical portion of reduced diameter adapted for positioning down into the upper end of said leg.

6. A leg locking device for a table having a frame comprising an upright socket secured to said frame at each of its interior corners, each socket having an upwardly converging tapered bore and a communicating transverse aperture in the wall thereof, a tubular leg, a hollow tapered plug secured to the upper end of said leg retainingly nested within said socket, a coiled spring within said plug secured at its upper end to said socket and at its lower end to said leg, said plug having a cylindrical portion of reduced diameter adapted for positioning down into the upper end of said leg, said cylindrical portion at its upper end having an annular shoulder of increased dimension forming a stop for the upper end of said leg, the outer surface of said stop forming a continuation of said leg.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,809,564 OConnor et al. June 9, 1931 1,820,592 Bauer Aug. 25, 1931 1,917,916 Bales et al. July 11, 1933 2,003,835 Mitchell June 4, 1935 2,127,980 Niemann Aug. 23, 1938 2,487,401 Turner Nov. 8, 1949 2,625,454 Brown Jan. 13, 1953 

